Cork machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

I I F. METZ.

CORK MACHINE.

No. 406,225. I Patented July 2, 1889..

lvitwcooco gvwemtoz N. PETERS, Pholc-blhcguphur, Washington a. c

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. MET-Z.

CORK MAGHINE. No. 406,225. Patented July 2, 1889.v

IX 41M030 c a 5141) (WW0 z N. PETERS. Pinata-Lithography. Waslungion. c, c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

P. METZ. CORK MACHINE.

\ No. 406,225. Patented July 2 1889.

WITNESSES: IIVVE/VTOI? mv PETERS, Phnlolxlhugrzplmn Wzshmglon, D. I;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK METZ, OF NE\V BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA, iASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN CORBUS, OF SAME PLACE.

CORK-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,225, dated July 2, 1889.

Application filed May 31, 1887. Serial No. 239,754. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: Be it known that I, FRANK METZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Brighton, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cork-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap- 1'0 pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. My invention relates to machinery for making corks for bottles and the like.

' The object of my invention is to taper corks from straight-cut cork-blanks or cylindrical bodies of cork, for which purpose the cork- 2o blanks are clamped in a revolving head and brought to bear against an endless-band knife, which cuts the blank at the desired taper.

I attain the objects of my invention by means of the following construction and com- 2 5 bination of parts, which will now be fully described and set forth, and the features of novelty pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a partial elevation and central vertical section of a machine to which 0 I have applied my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the band-knife mechanism, the

' bed-plate A and the rest of the machine being broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail view of 3 5 the mechanism connected with the drivingshaft 2 for intermittently rotating the worktable or head of the machine. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the split ring 29.

In the drawings, A represents the bed-plate of the machine. It may be of any approved shape. Bolted to the bed-plate A is a hanger 1, in which the horizontal driving-shaft 2 is journaled, the other end being hung in the journal-box 3 at the opposite side of themachine.

4 is a bevel-gear keyed to the shaft 2, which meshes with bevel-pinion 5.

6 is a hollow sleeve or spindle to which the pinion 5 is attached, so as to be driven by the shaft 2 and gear 4.

7 is a post or stanchion supported vertically in the hanger 1, and held rigidly against rotation by a set-screw S in hanger l. 5

9 is a friction-disk keyed to the vertical spindle 6 and arranged to drive the revolving 5 5 cork-spindles 12.

10 is a hollow spindle mounted on the stationary post 7, so as to intermittently revolve above the spindle 6 and disk 9.

11 is a disk perforated about its periphery with apertures for supporting the cork-rotating spindles 12.

13 is a disk similar to disk 11, journaled also for the reception of the spindles'12, and is supported and carried by the sleeve-spindle 10.

let are a series of stanchions or supports rigidly fixed'to the disk 13. A stanchion 14 v is arranged adjacent to each one of the corkrotating spindles 12. 7o

15 are V-shaped gages mounted upon each of the supports 1%, and are provided with slots 16 and set-screws 17, by means of which they are adj ustably set adjacent to the spindles 12, in order to adapt said spindles for the reception of varying-sized corks or cork-blanks.

18 is a flanged lever-support, having a central journal-box and set-screw adapted to fit upon the rotating sleeve 10, by means of which it may be set rigidly upon said sleeve and adj ustably as to height.

19 are a series of cork-clamping levers, each pivoted in a post 20 on the lever-support 18, there being one of these levers above each of the spindles 12. v

21 are springs adapted to throw the clamping-jaw of the levers 19 downwardly.

\ 22 are posts or stops for limiting the movement of the levers 19.

23 is a segment-shaped cam-face adjusta- 9o bly supported and set upon the stationary post 7, and adapted to impinge under and against each of the levers 19 as the latter rotate through a certain portion of the circumference of the machine, for the purpose of 5 clamping the corks while they are being fed to the tapering-knife.

24 is a somewhat similar segment-piece, having also a cam-face. Segment 24 lies in a difierent portion of the circumference of the table, and is adapted to contact the upper side of the inner end of the levers 19, (instead of the under side, as does the segment 23,) for the purpose of throwing up the clamp and releasing the finished cork. The segmentcam 24, like cam 23, is stationary, and is set upon the post 7 adjustably both as to height and to its circumferential position above the work-table.

is a disk adapted to be fitted upon the revolving sleeve 10. It is provided with out wardly and downwardly projecting arms 26, which support and carry the toothed or ratcheted wheel or ring 27.

The sleeve 10, disk 11, disk 13, posts 14, disk 25, arms 26, and ratchet 27 may all, or any two or more of them, be cast in one piece. They constitute the rotary table.

28 is a bevel frictional pinion secured to each of the cork-carrying spindles 12. The friction wheel or disk 9 is correspondingly eoned or beveled, and drives the pinions 28 and theirspindles. The cork-carrying spindles 12 have a slight vertical movement, as well as their rotary movement, for the purpose of throwing any one or more of the spindles 12 and their pinions 2S upwardly sufficiently to throw the latter out or away from contact with the friction-disk 9, and thereby stop the rotation of the spindles 12. This movement is desirable, as it is not necessary that the spindles 12 revolve except when in the act of being tapered or otherwise finished. To secure the above result, I preferably secure a split ring 29 to the bed-plate beneath the spindles 12. This ring is cut away at the point where the successive spindles are carried past the operatin g band-knife, and the spindle is allowed to drop down slightly at that point by riding oh": the ring 29, whereby its pinion 28 will be thrown into engagement with the disk 9. In the further movement of the spindle its lower end will strike the beveled edge 30 of the split ring 29, and will ride upon the top thereof, thereby carrying its pinion out of engagement with the disk 9. The ring will hold the spindle 12 out of engagement until it has made one revolution and again brought opposite the tapering-knife.

31 is an arm bolted to the bed of the machine and adj ustably set so as to remove the corks after they have been finished.

32 is an adjustable seat-block adapted to work in suitable ways in the'bed-plate A.

33 is an adjusting-screw for moving the seat-block and its bandknife driving mechanism to or from the cork-machine proper.

34 is the base of the standard 35, which earries the band-knife mechanism. This base 34 is adjusted in ways in the seat-block 32. 36 is an adjusting-screw for adjustablysetting the bed-plate 34 from side to side or at right angles to the adjustment or movement of the seat-block 32.

The pulley-carrying standard has an outwardl rejecting )ortion 37 )rovided at its outward end with a journal-box 38, in which the pulley-shaft'39 is journaled. The other end of shaft 39 is journaled in box 40.

41 is an upper and separate part of the pulley-carrying standard, and it is bolted to the standard 35.

42 is a disk-shaped bearing cast with the part 41, and 43 is a similarly-formed hearing cast with the lower portion of the standard 35.

44 are bolts which secure the disk-bearings 42 and 43 together.

45 is a j ournal-box at the top of the casting 41. 46 is a shaft journaled therein.

47 is the upper band-knife-earrying wheel keyed to shaft 46. 48 is the lower keyed to shaft 49 is the band-knife running upon wheels 47 and 48, and, as shown in the drawings, the knife is arranged to lie in close proximity to the peripheral path of the cork-spindles 12.

50 is a cork upon a spindle 1.2, shown in operative relation to the endless-band knife 49. Varying degrees of taper maybe given to the corks by adjusting the disk-bearings 42 and 43 of the portions 41 and 35 of the pulleycarrying standards, so that the cutting-angle of the knife can be varied at pleasure. To effect this adjustment it may be necessary also to adjust the seat-block 32 and the base or bed 34. A series of holes 51 are made in the disk-bearings 42 and 43, so that the pertions 35 and 41 may be adjustably set, the bolts 44 securing the parts rigidly. The bandwheels 47 and 48 are provided with a flange at one edge of their rims, against which the back of the endless knife 49 rests when in operation.

52 is the drive-pulley of the machine and is keyed to the driving-shaft 2. is a preferably larger pulley upon the same shaft and is in line with a preferably smaller pulley mounted upon the band-knife driving-shaft 39, by means of which a high degree of rotation is given to the band-knife 49.

The intermittently-revolvingmotion of the cork-carrying spindles 12 has already been described. The intermittently-rotating movement of the machine head or table is produced by the mechanism shown in plan in Fig. 2 and in detail elevation in Fig. 4.

55 is a cam keyed to the driving-shaft 2.

' 56 is an oscillating lever pivoted to the frame of the machine.

57 is a circular strap surrounding the cam 55, in which the latter revolves.

band-knife-carrying wheel 58 is a link connecting strap 57 and lever 56. I

engagement with the ratchet 27. is a11- other pawl pivoted at 66 to the bed of the machine, and provided with a spring 67, for throwing the pawl into engagement also with ratchet 27.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The gages 15 are first set according to the size of the cork intended to be finished. The endless-band knife is then set by the means before described, so as to cut the taper desired to be given to the cork-blank. The operator stands at the side of the work-table and places the cork-blanks upon the spindles 12 andv the spindles 12, which have been hitherto supported by the split ring 29, pass over the por-, tion of the ring which is cut away and fall.

This slight movement brings the pinions 28 into contact with the disk 9, (which is driven by the driving-shaft 2, through the gears 4.- and 5 and sleeve 6,) and causes the spindles 12 to rapidly revolve against the revolving knife. In the further rotation of the worktable the clamp-levers 19 pass under the segment-cam 24, when the finished cork is released and the stationary arm 31 throws the finished cork from the table.

The mechanism for intermittentlyrotating the work-table or head is driven by the common driving-shaft 2,through the eccentric 55, before described. One revolution of the eccentric causes the pawl 59 to rotate the table the length of oneratchet-tooth, the pawl being thereupon pulled back until it engages the next tooth, when another partial rotation of the table takes place. The pawl 65 looks the table against any back movement.

I claim- 1. The combination of an endlessband knife, a horizontal rotating table in proximity thereto, and a series of vertical rotating spindles carried upon the table and adapted to support the corks upon the spindles.

2. The combination of a horizontal intermittently-rotating table and a series of vertical intermittently-rotating spindles carried by the table and adapted to support the corks upon the spindles.

3. In a cork-machine, a horizontal rotating table, a vertical rotating spindle mounted thereon and adapted to support a cork, and combined therewith, and a clamp disposed above said spindle.

' 4. I11 a cork-machine, a rotating table, arotating spindle carried thereon, a clamp-jaw arranged above said spindle and moving with the table, and a stationary projection or cam arranged within the path of the clamp-jaw and adapted to throw the clamp into en gagement during a portion of the rotation of the table, all in combination, as set forth.

5. The combination of a rotating table, a rotating spindle carried thereon, a clamp-j aw upon the table arranged above the spindle, and

a stationary projection or cam adapted to ing spindle, in combination with a pivoted clamping-j aw arranged in proximity to the spindle, a main frame carrying the table and spindle, and a vertically-adj ustable frame, in which the clamp is pivoted, mounted upo the rotating table.

8. The combination of arotating table provided with a series of rotating spindles, and a stationary projecting arm adapted to sweep Y the path above the spindles as the latter revolve. I

9. In a cork-machine, a horizontal rotating table, in combination with a vertical spindle carried thereby having both a rotary and" vertical movement in the line of its length and adapted to support a cork.

10. In a cork-machine, a rotating table, a vertical rotating spindle mounted thereon and combined therewith, and a stationary projection or ring below the spindle and extending throughout a portion of the peripheral path of the spindle and adapted to contact and raise said spindle out of engagement with the driving mechanism.

11. In a cork-machine, the combination of a stationary standard, a rotating table having a central sleeve and mounted upon the standard, a drive-wheel mounted also upon the standard, and a series of rotating spindles mounted upon the table and having pinions adapted to engage the drive-wheel.

12. The combination,with a horizontal driving-shaft having drive-pulleys and a bevelpinion, of a standard, a sleeve mounted thereon having a bevel-gear, a drive-wheel keyed to the sleeve, a rotating table, and rotating spindles carried thereby having pinionsengaging the drive-wheel.

13. The combination of two band-wheels with a standard made in two parts, a flanged disk upon each part, a series of'holes' passing through said disks, and a bolt or bolts adapted to pass through said holes, for the purpose of bolting the standards adjustably.

14. The combination of a table, a bed or frame, a seat-block thereon adjustable to and from the table, and a standard located upon the seat-block adjustable at right angles thereto and carrying the endless-band knife.

15. A circular table having a ratchet thereon, a drive-shaft for rotating the table provided with a cam, and intermediate mechanism for engaging the ratchet and intermittently rotating the table, a drive-wheel, and a series of intermittently-rotatin g spindles having pinions located upon the table and adapted to be driven by the drive-wheel.

16. The combination of an intermittentlyrotating table, a series of cork-supportin g spindles carried thereby provided with pinions, a

drive-wheel adapted to engage the pinions, and a cam arranged in the path of the spindles upon the table and adapted to throw the pinions out of engagement.

17. The combination of a rotary table, rotating spindles carried thereby, a rotating clamp-support, a series of pivoted clampingjaws arranged over the axial line of the spindles, a segmental stationary cam or projection adapted to throw the jaws into and a segmental stationary cam or projection adapted to throw the jaws out of engagement.

18. The combination of a rotary table, a ratchet-Wheel carried thereby, a pawl, a cam for reciprocating the pawl, a drive-shaft for operating the cam, a series of spindles carried by the table,a drive-wheel adapted to engage the spindies, and a cam device adapted to disengage the spindles.

19. The combination of a standard, a table having a sleeve and mounted on the standard rotatably, adjunctive mechanism for retating the sleeve intermittently, and a clampsupport mounted upon said sleeve and adjustable vertically thereon.

20. The combination of a rotary table, a ratchet device for intermittently rotating said table, a cam device for actuating the ratchet, a driving-shaft for opera-ti 11g the cam, a series of spindles carried upon the t1 ble, and a cam device for intermittently rotating the spindles.

21. The combination of a drivingshaft, a cam upon said shaft, a ratchet device actuated by the cam, a table rotated intermittently by the ratchet device, a series of spindles carried by the table, pinions upon the spindles, and a drive-wheel adapted to engage the spindles, said wheel being driven by said driving-shaft.

22. The combination of a driving-shaft, a rotary table, a cam and ratchet device for operating the table, a series of spindles upon the table, pinions upon the spindles, a drivewheel engaging the spindles, and a stationary cam for disengaging the pinions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK METZ.

Witnesses:

FRANK W. TALLoN, CLARENCE I1. CORBUS. 

